List of famous bandleaders, with photos, bios, and other information when available. Who are the top bandleaders in the world? This includes the most prominent bandleaders, living and dead, both in America and abroad. This list of notable bandleaders is ordered by their level of prominence, and can be sorted for various bits of information, such as where these historic bandleaders were born and what their nationality is. The people on this list are from different countries, but what they all have in common is that they're all renowned bandleaders.
These people, like James Brown and Ray Charles include images when available.
From reputable, prominent, and well known bandleaders to the lesser known bandleaders of today, these are some of the best professionals in the bandleader field. If you want to answer the questions, "Who are the most famous bandleaders ever?" and "What are the names of famous bandleaders?" then you're in the right place. {#nodes}...more
- James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter,... more
- Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She has... more
- Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and actor.... more
- William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist,... more
- Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American composer,... more
- Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903 – May 17, 1992) was an American musician, accordionist,... more
- Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and musician.... more
- Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American virtuoso trumpeter, composer,... more
- Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist,... more
- Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader,... more
- Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter,... more
- Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known as Little Richard, was an... more
- Alton Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904 – disappeared December 15, 1944) was an American big-band... more
- Jeffrey Scot Tweedy (born August 25, 1967) is an American songwriter, musician, and record... more
- Rick James (born James Ambrose Johnson Jr. February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004) was an American... more
- Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz double bassist,... more
- John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist... more
- George Edward Clinton (born July 22, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and... more
- Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM (born November 28, 1949) is a Canadian singer, composer, actor,... more
- Bill Wyman (born William George Perks Jr., 24 October 1936) is an English musician, record... more
- Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American jazz clarinetist and... more
- Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz... more
- Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American... more
- Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra,... more
- Benjamin Scott Folds (born September 12, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter and record... more
